


Sunburnt Skin

by liketolaugh



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Domestic, Fluff, Humor, MTF!Alma, Multi, Not really any plot, Polyamory, They're just getting ready for a picnic tbh, Trans!Alma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-11 23:59:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7912552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liketolaugh/pseuds/liketolaugh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a fun day, with all of them together. Summer's good for that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunburnt Skin

“You’re disgusting,” Allen told Alma, who pouted at him, taking the spoon out of her mouth.

“You’re one to talk, Mr. Three-kinds-of-meat,” Alma countered, shaking the mayonnaise spoon at him accusingly. “Meat, and nothing else!”

“There’s bread,” Allen said mildly, smiling as he finished one of Kanda’s sandwiches (turkey, swiss, and tomato, dry) and moving on to the second. “Anyway, don’t say you wouldn’t put mayonnaise and nothing else on yours if Kanda didn’t make faces at you every time you suggested it.”

Alma grinned, finished the last of hers (ham, cheddar, and way too much mayo) and wrapping them up. “You know that’s the only reason I ever suggest it. What does Lenalee like on hers?”

“Chicken, cheddar, and brown mustard,” Allen answered. He paused to watch Alma rummage through the fridge for the necessary foodstuffs, her loose violet t-shirt threatening to fall off one shoulder in sharp contrast to her clingy blue sweatpants. Then he smiled and added, “You know, I’m really looking forward to this. It was a good idea.”

Alma looked over her shoulder to grin back. “Of course it was! Lenalee’s ideas are usually good.”

Allen hummed in agreement, tugging at the hem of his grey long-sleeved shirt. “Still. Even Kanda’s been looking forward to it. I didn’t think picnics would be his thing.”

Alma smiled. “Well, it didn’t seem like _this-”_ She gestured broadly, indicating everything – the house, the neatly stocked and slightly messy kitchen, the five people inside, and all. “-would be his thing either, did it?”

Allen’s smile softened. “No. It didn’t.”

“I found the basket!” Lenalee called, interrupting the brief moment, and Allen glanced up to see her emerging from the bedroom, wearing a short red skirt and a pale pink tank top, a wicker basket tucked under her arm. “It was at the top of the closet. I think maybe we put Kanda in charge of putting it away.”

“He probably didn’t think we’d ever use it,” Alma commented, a fond smile curving her lips. “He’s good at fooling himself.”

Lenalee laughed, putting the basket on the counter and starting to load finished and wrapped sandwiches into it. “That he is. By the way, Alma, if he maims Lavi over this, I’m holding you personally responsible. Lavi keeps teasing him about settling down and having kids.”

“I don’t control Lavi,” Alma protested.

“But you’re the only one with any control over Kanda,” Lenalee pointed out. “But really, I think Kanda’s about to pull his knife on him. Go handle it; Allen and I can finish up here.”

Alma glanced at Allen questioningly, and Allen smiled and nodded. Alma rolled her eyes, but closed the sandwich, gave it a pat, and said resignedly, “I’ll go handle him.” She laughed and shook her head. “You’d think Lavi doesn’t want this picnic to happen, with how much trouble he’s making.”

“I think the idea of settling down disturbs him more than it does Kanda,” Lenalee said thoughtfully, moving to the pantry for the chips they’d gotten just for this. “I mean, he’s the only one really resisting the idea.”

“Can’t lose his lady’s man reputation,” Allen said wryly, and Alma chuckled.

“He’s living with us, who does he think he’s fooling?”

“Himself,” Lenalee said firmly. A yelp came in through the door. “I think that’s him now, by the way. _Please_ go keep him from getting murdered.”

“I’m going, I’m going,” Alma assured her, turning to go out the door, already calling, “Yuu, we won’t have time to go out today if you have to bury a body and wash blood off yourself!”

“Fuck that, I’ll leave him here to rot!”

Allen rolled his eyes. “Brute,” he said fondly.

“Our brute, though,” Lenalee smiled, and turned around to tuck the chips into the basket. “The soda should do fine without anything to keep them cool, right?”

“I think so, yes,” Allen confirmed, and Lenalee went to the fridge to get those – a mixture of Coke, Pepsi, and Sprite because compromise was a foreign concept in this house. “This is the last of the sandwiches, by the way.”

“Two for Kanda, three for Lavi, two for Alma, two for me, and five for you?” Lenalee checked, and then murmured, “No wonder we go through groceries so quickly.”

Allen laughed and looked through the basket. “Yes to all.” He smiled. “Want me to go let Kanda know? That might get him to stop murdering Lavi.”

“He’ll never stop trying to murder Lavi,” Lenalee dismissed, but she also nodded, so Allen took off into the other room, where Lavi was pinned facedown to the floor by Kanda, who was scowling up at Alma as the woman scolded him.

“And then we’re going to go to the park and Lavi will be covered in bruises, and people will realize that you’re a _huge jerk-”_

“That’s none of their goddamn business,” Kanda argued, scowling. His ponytail hung over his shoulder, black against the dark blue of his tank top, while the knees of his ripped jeans rubbed against the carpet irritably.

“They’d be right, anyway,” Allen interrupted, smiling charmingly at Kanda’s suddenly deeper scowl. “I came out to tell you everything’s ready, by the way, so you have to let Lavi up and help Lenalee pack the van.”

Kanda rolled his eyes. “Can’t you see I’m busy?” he sniped.

But he climbed off Lavi nonetheless, leading Alma into the kitchen, and Lavi pushed himself up with a dramatic gasp.

“Sweet, sweet freedom!” Lavi crowed. “Allen, have I told you that I love you today?”

“Not since this morning,” Allen replied, smiling warmly nonetheless. And then, trying for stern, “Do you have to goad Kanda like that? We’re trying to get things done, you know!”

“Allen,” Lavi whined, trying vainly to smooth out his bright green t-shirt. “You’re so unsympathetic! I almost _died!”_ He raised his voice. “Lenalee, you love me, don’t you, sweet summer lady of mine?”

“It was your own fault, Lavi!” Lenalee called back from the kitchen, and Lavi collapsed back onto the floor.

“Betrayal on all sides,” he moaned into the carpet.

Allen chuckled and reached down, and Lavi met him halfway so that Allen could haul him to his feet. “I don’t know why you keep taunting Kanda,” he chided gently, not bothering to let go of Lavi’s hand once the other man was on his feet. “It always ends this way.”

“Easy for you to say,” Lavi complained. “He just argues with _you,_ but I swear he’s going to kill me someday.” Allen raised an eyebrow at him, and Lavi added hastily, “That doesn’t prove anything!”

Allen rolled his eyes, and Kanda emerged from the kitchen, carrying the basket.

“Can we finally fucking go?” he groused, scowling at them accusingly. “And I’m not going to _kill_ you. As the damn beansprout is so goddamn fond of reminding me, we can’t afford bail.”

Lavi wailed wordlessly in betrayal, and Allen squeezed his hand, amused.

“Love you, Lavi,” Allen said cheerfully, and Lavi groaned and leaned his weight onto Allen, head pressing to his shoulder. Allen could almost feel his pout.

“You’ve got a funny way of showing it,” Lavi said petulantly.

“If Lavi’s done with his dramatics, we’re ready to go,” Alma called, coming in from the kitchen, patchwork blanket folded over her arm. “Kanda, your keys are in the basket.”

“Why?” Kanda demanded, and balanced the basket on his leg to root through it in search of them.

“It was the most convenient,” Lenalee said apologetically, also emerging. She bore a bottle of sunscreen. “We can get those loaded into the van, but no one goes anywhere without this. It’s a clear summer day and I don’t want anyone whining about sunburn tonight.”

Lavi pushed off Allen’s shoulder and frowned at the bottle. “I thought I hid that,” he muttered.

“You’re the one who did that?” Kanda demanded. “She fucking thought _I_ did that.” He also scowled at the bottle of sunscreen. “Gross lotion shit.”

“I apologize, Kanda,” Lenalee said sweetly, and that was about when Lavi realized that he’d made a mistake and cringed.

“Sorry, Lenalady!” Lavi said quickly. “Won’t do it again, here, why don’t you give that to me so I can put it on your face? Huh? Sweet summer lady?”

Lenalee only kept her frown for a few moments longer before it broke into a warm, amused smile. “Alright, I forgive you. Thank you, Lavi.”

She handed him the bottle, and he squeezed a little onto his fingers. “Shut your eyes, Lenalady,” he warned her, and waited for her to obey before carefully rubbing it over her face.

Allen smiled and looked at Kanda, who rolled his eyes but glanced at Alma questioningly, still balancing even as the coveted keys hung off his thumb. Alma smiled and bobbed her head, and the two of them headed out the door, presumably to put the things in the van.

“Your turn, beansprout!” Lavi called, apparently finished with Lenalee.

“My _name_ is _Allen,”_ Allen stressed, but he closed his eyes anyway, letting Lavi spread the cool lotion over his face. “You know I can do that myself, right?”

He could almost hear Lavi’s smile. “Yeah, but it’s more fun this way.”

“If you say so,” Allen murmured. “Why am I wearing sunscreen? None of you are going to let me sit in the sun anyway.” Allen’s tendency to wear long-sleeved shirts even during the summer had led to a corresponding tendency to overheat easily, something none of the others had missed.

“You’re pale enough to get sunburned even in the shade,” Lavi said with certainty, and if they’d been open, Allen would’ve rolled his eyes. A moment later, Lavi paused, rubbed his thumb gently over Allen’s cheek, and then removed his hand entirely. “There you go.”

“Thanks, Lavi,” Allen said, opening his eyes as Lavi stepped away. “Give that to me, it’s your turn.”

“Get the rest of yourself,” Lenalee commanded, and Lavi nodded in agreement. Allen rolled his eyes for real this time, but obeyed, stripping his gloves off and tucking them into his pocket before getting the few parts of himself that peeked out from his clothing.

“Satisfied?” Allen asked wryly, rubbing his shoulder gingerly. “My hands are slimy now.”

“Your hands were going to be slimy anyway,” Lenalee said, watching as Lavi shut his eyes for his turn. “And get the rest of Lavi, too. He always does a terrible job.”

“I do not!” Lavi protested.

“You get horrible misshapen sunburns,” Allen disagreed, “and then you complain about how itchy they are when they start peeling. And then you scratch them.”

“I do,” Lavi admitted. “But they’re so itchy!”

“Yes, we’ve heard,” Allen chuckled. He took a few minutes to finish up, smiling at Lavi’s dramatic shivers, and then tossed the bottle to Lenalee, who caught it and sat on the couch to get her legs. “I’ll get your back when you’re done.”

“Thanks,” Lenalee said absently, dumping a generous amount of white goo onto her knee.

“I should have thought of that,” Lavi frowned.

“That’s okay, Lavi,” Allen said, amused. “It’s not like we _forgot.”_

“Are you three ready yet?” Kanda groused, poking his head back out the front door.

“Almost, stupid Kanda,” Allen answered. “Get in here so you can get sunscreen on.”

Kanda scowled, and then turned around. “Alma! I need to put sunscreen on you!”

“I can do that!” Alma complained, loud enough to be heard from inside.

“No, you just fucking pretend to!”

“Well, it’s gross!” she said petulantly, not denying it. “I won’t die of a sunburn!”

“Haven’t you ever heard of skin cancer? Get in here!”

A moment passed, but then she appeared in front of Kanda, arms crossed and pouting, and Kanda huffed and turned around to come back in.

“Give me that,” he told Lenalee.

“Say please,” Lenalee said without looking up.

Kanda scowled, Alma gave him a Look, and he sighed. “Please?” he requested long-sufferingly.

Lenalee finished and smiled at him sweetly. “Certainly.” She held out the sunscreen, and, just after he took it, added, “If you do my back for me.”

Kanda rolled his eyes. “Stand up, then,” he grumbled. She obeyed, and shivered a little when he started rubbing it roughly over the parts of her back exposed by her tank top.

Allen glanced over, half-expecting Lavi to crack a joke, but instead he found the other man just watching, green eye soft and a small, genuine smile on his lips. Lavi caught his eyes then, and while the tone of the expression didn’t change, his smile grew into a grin, and Allen smiled back.

“There,” Kanda muttered, pushing Lenalee lightly and redrawing their attention. “Done.”

“Thanks, Kanda,” Lenalee smiled, turning around.

“Alma, get over here,”

“You’re so bossy,” Alma complained, and obeyed anyway, eyes sparkling. “It’s a really nice day out, did you see?”

“I’d certainly hope so,” Lavi huffed, lacing his fingers behind his head, as if he hadn’t just been staring at them like the lovestruck idiot he was. “It’d _suck_ if it rained.”

“Don’t jinx it,” Allen warned, a lilt of amusement in his voice.

“If you being invited didn’t jinx it already, nothing will,” Kanda sniped, squinting at Alma as if to discern whether or not he was covering her properly, while she silently laughed at him.

“Oh, like you’re any better,” Allen muttered. “Stupid Kanda.”

“Beansprout, are you trying to say something?” Kanda demanded, hand closing around Alma’s upper arm as he scowled at him. “Or are words just pouring out of your mouth as usual?”

“What, are they too big for you?” Allen challenged. “Do I need to lower myself to a first-grade speaking level?”

“Speaking level? What the fuck do you mean, speaking level?”

“Boys,” Alma and Lenalee said, almost in unison, and Kanda and Allen both huffed while Lavi laughed at them.

Kanda finished with Alma and started to cover himself, silently turning down Alma’s offer of help with a curt shake of his head. “Speaking level,” he repeated under his breath derisively.

“Oh, you know what I mean,” Allen grumbled back, but he was smiling again.

Lenalee shook his head. “You never fail to amaze me,” she said resignedly.

“It’s a talent of theirs,” Alma agreed with a cheerful smile. “Alright, everyone ready? Do we have everything we need?”

“Everything’s ready,” Allen confirmed, and Lavi nodded, backing it up. “Let’s go!”

Kanda tossed the bottle back onto the table. “Ready,” he confirmed. “Let’s hit the road already.”

They piled into the van – they’d bought a soccer mom-esque four-door, on the basis of the fact that it could comfortably fit all five of them, in a defiant bright green color that had been Lavi’s idea – with Kanda in the driver’s seat, Lenalee in the passenger’s, and Lavi squished between Alma and Allen in the back.

“I always get the middle,” Lavi complained, pouting.

“This way you have an excuse to lean on people,” Alma suggested, not for the first time, and he huffed but did not argue.

“Lenalee, where’re we going?” Kanda asked, starting up the car.

“The one with the rose garden,” Lenalee answered, peeking out the window. “I’ll give you directions if you don’t know where.”

“I _don’t_ know where,” Kanda grumbled. “Alright, just tell me when.”

Lenalee hummed her confirmation, and Kanda twisted, looking over his shoulder to frown out the back window.

“Lavi, your stupid face is blocking my view,” Kanda complained.

Lavi turned around. “You’re clear,” he assured Kanda.

“Whatever,” Kanda muttered, and pulled out, starting to head down the road.

Alma slapped Allen’s hand. “Keep your hands out of the basket,” she scolded. “That food’s for the picnic.”

Allen pouted. “There’ll be some left,” he protested.

“For the picnic,” Alma repeated, more sternly, and then, “Lavi, stop undermining me!”

Lavi withdrew his hand quickly and smiled at her charmingly. “I would never!”

“I’m sure,” Alma said dryly, reaching back to shove the basket a little further away, despite knowing that it was a technically futile gesture.

“Shut up back there,” Kanda ordered halfheartedly. Lenalee patted his arm.

“Keep trying,” she told him, trying and failing to hide her laughter. “I’m sure they’ll listen eventually.”

Kanda grumbled wordlessly under his breath.

When they arrived at the park, it was Allen who grabbed the basket out of the back, and Lenalee who got the blanket. Despite all his grumbling, Kanda waited for them to get them with an impatient expression and a gleam in his eyes, and Allen had to suppress a smile that he knew Kanda would interpret as teasing.

“There’s a tree over there,” Lavi told them when they’d retrieved their stuff, jerking his thumb at the aforementioned tree, tall and regal. “Should be good enough for all of us, not just our fragile little beansprout.” He grinned at Allen’s scowl.

“Oh, good,” Lenalee smiled, starting toward the tree. “It’s hotter out than I expected. It’ll be nice to have a shady spot to sit in.”

“It’s always too hot,” Kanda grumbled. “Summer lasts too damn long.”

“It’s fun,” Alma protested, and Kanda rolled his eyes.

“Yuu just doesn’t like it ‘cause it’s uncomfortable to wear black in the summer,” Lavi teased, grinning at Kanda.

“Don’t _call_ me that!” Kanda scowled, but didn’t deny it.

“Dark blue isn’t an improvement,” Allen informed Kanda, amused.

“And grey _is?”_ Kanda sniped.

“Yuu, stop trying to pick a fight,” Alma chided, and smiled when Kanda subsided, scowling to himself.

“You’re a miracle worker,” Allen told Alma.

“I know,” Alma agreed.

They reached the tree, and Lenalee spread the blanket in the thickest part of the shadow, summoning Lavi’s help with a distracted gesture, so that both of them could tug at the corners until they were satisfied with the way it spread across the grass.

Finally, Allen set the basket down in the middle of the blanket, and the five of them settled around it. Lenalee reached to open it and start passing out food, and Lavi asked,

“So, what do you think we should do?”

“Lunch?” Allen suggested, glancing at the first of the sandwiches that Lenalee tossed at his lap.

“After that,” Lavi said dismissively, green eye glittering with mirth. “Glutton.”

“Can’t we just walk around the park?” Alma asked, glancing around. “It’s a beautiful place. We don’t really need to do anything in particular.”

“That’s why I chose this one,” Lenalee confirmed. “There’s a lot of things to see.”

Lavi shrugged, grinning. “Well, alright then. Wandering aimlessly it is.”

“What’s the point?” Kanda asked acerbically.

“I know fun is a foreign concept to you,” Allen told him, “but some people enjoy doing things for no reason at all.”

_“Whatever.”_

“Boys,” Alma and Lenalee said together, and the rest of them laughed, and then, contented, started to dig into their food.

“I don’t know what we’ll be looking at,” Lavi said through a mouthful of food, and Lenalee gave him a reproachful look. Lavi winced, swallowed, and continued, “I mean, anywhere?”

“Anywhere,” Lenalee confirmed. “It’ll be fun.” She smiled. “I’m sure that, between you and Kanda, you know a little something about every plant here anyway.”

Kanda grunted, and Lavi grinned sheepishly.

“Probably.”

“Then we’ll have a fun time,” Allen concluded, warmth blooming in his chest, and then bit into his sandwich.

“Of course we will,” Alma said firmly.

“Of course,” Kanda echoed, voice lower than usual and gaze cutting to the side, probably to avoid the smiles that assertion drew.

And after that, at least for a while, they were quiet.

They were together – that, Allen thought, was enough for a good day all by itself.

It always was.


End file.
